Sure to please your guests, this baked appetizer combines ham and fresh ground pork sausage with vegetables, mustard, spices, and a splash of whiskey. Ground ham is available in 1-pound rolls in most supermarket meat departments, but you can also grind your own in a grinder or food processor. These are so good, you will probably need to make a double batch for your party.
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Ingredients:
- Ham Balls:
- 1-1/2 cups soft bread crumbs (about 3 slices bread in food processor)
- 1 pound ground cooked ham, broken apart
- 1/2 pound fresh ground pork sausage (sage flavored is nice)
- 1/3 cup minced onion
- 1/4 cup minced celery
- 2 Tablespoons milk
- 1 egg
- 1 Tablespoon whiskey
- 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- .
- Glaze:
- 1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 4 teaspoons whiskey
- 1 Tablespoon spicy brown mustard
- 1 Tablespoon ketchup
- 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a rimmed jelly roll pan with non-stick foil.
Combine bread crumbs, ground ham, pork sausage, onion, and celery in a large bowl until evenly mixed.
In a small bowl, whisk together milk, egg, whiskey, dry mustard, pepper, and cloves. Scrape into ham mixture and thoroughly combine. Using about 1 tablespoon of the mixture for each, form into balls and place 1 inch apart on prepared pan. Bake for 25 minutes.
While the ham balls are baking, whisk together brown sugar, whiskey, brown mustard, ketchup, and balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan over low heat. Simmer on low, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Set aside.
Place cooked ham balls in a large bowl and drizzle on the glaze. Gently toss to coat. Serve as an appetizer, warm in a chafing dish or low-heat crockpot.
Yield: 24 to 28 meatballs
Glazed Ham Balls Appetizer Recipe Photo © 2008 Peggy Trowbridge Filippone, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Combine bread crumbs, ground ham, pork sausage, onion, and celery in a large bowl until evenly mixed.
In a small bowl, whisk together milk, egg, whiskey, dry mustard, pepper, and cloves. Scrape into ham mixture and thoroughly combine. Using about 1 tablespoon of the mixture for each, form into balls and place 1 inch apart on prepared pan. Bake for 25 minutes.
While the ham balls are baking, whisk together brown sugar, whiskey, brown mustard, ketchup, and balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan over low heat. Simmer on low, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Set aside.
Place cooked ham balls in a large bowl and drizzle on the glaze. Gently toss to coat. Serve as an appetizer, warm in a chafing dish or low-heat crockpot.
Yield: 24 to 28 meatballs
Glazed Ham Balls Appetizer Recipe Photo © 2008 Peggy Trowbridge Filippone, licensed to About.com, Inc.
